Have a Fourth of July Party Without the Stress

Hot dogs, hamburgers, tender ribs dripping with sauce; a barbecue on the Fourth of July signals the beginning of summer. However, having an outdoor party can cause major stress.

Here are some tips, which will make your barbecue a success.

You can plan now by purchasing red, white, and blue paper napkins, paper plates, flatware, a tablecloth, and cups. You may wish to buy streamers, balloons, and party hats, as well. Pick up some decorative invitations and sparklers, if available. Check the barbecue to ensure it’s clean and ready for use. You’ll need charcoal, too. If it’s a gas barbecue, make sure the tank is full. See to it that your backyard is prepared as well, especially if you have a patio area. You may also want to clean the patio furniture.

Decide on the menu. Make a list of what you’ll need. Call friends and family you’ll be inviting to the party and ask them if they would like to bring a special dish. Write down everyone’s contribution. Once you have the menu set, you can then decide on the dessert. Perhaps a flag sheet cake, adorned with sparklers, would be ideal for the occasion. You can either bake the cake yourself or order it from a bakery.

Write out the invitations. Have them ready to send. You may want to include a little note asking everyone to wear red, white, and blue outfits. Add an RSVP, with a caveat, asking what dish they will bring. Since you’ve probably had a celebration the year before, you can estimate how many people will be coming. By the way, don’t forget the camera!

The day before the party, you can prepare all of the side dishes (at least those that people aren’t bringing) and have them ready. Have the hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs ready to go. Have your family help to decorate your backyard with streamers and balloons. Set up a buffet table so you can utilize it for drinks, sodas, and all of the paper products.

On the Fourth of July, you wake up to find it’s a gorgeous day! You are feeling great, calm, and ready to celebrate! Have your spouse set up the barbecue so that as soon as the guests arrive, the coals are nice and hot. This is one stress-free Fourth of July party you’ll always remember.

Here are Some YUMMY Recipes for you to try!

Note: Recipes provided by https://therecipefinder.com

BBQ Burgers

1-1/2 pound ground sirloin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bottle of favorite BBQ sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tblsp mustard
1 Tblsp grill/steak seasoning
8 hamburger buns
Favorite burger toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, etc)

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and shape into 8 burgers. Grill or fry to desired doneness.

Picnic Potato Salad

7 medium-size baking potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tblsp mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 Tblsp onions, finely chopped
1 Tblsp fresh parsley, chopped
Pepper to taste

Garnish: 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (if desired)

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender; drain and cool. Peel and slice. Combine all ingredients except potato, mix. Add potatoes and stir gently until well combined. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs, if desired. Chill 2-3 hours…or serve warm.

Easy Peach Cobbler

1/4 c. butter
4 c. peeled and sliced peaches
2/3 c + 1 Tblsp cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp. milk

In 1-quart shallow casserole, combine peaches, sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and cinnamon. In medium bowl, mix remaining 2/3 cup cornstarch with brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is size of small peas. Stir in milk until moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto peaches. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into crust comes out clean and is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes.